My dear friends it is so easy to get caught up in the worries and concerns of this virus that is new and unfamiliar. The truth is that this world has always had trials and struggles and tragedy. These things will sadly continue. Living on this earth is hard and at times it is heartbreaking. I wish so much I could take away the pain that my sweet friends and even strangers are suffering from. Unfortunately I can not do that. What I can do is pray for them. I can find ways to offer love and comfort and hope. That is part of what is driving me to write. It's my small way of offering some kind of comfort and love to all who are struggling tonight.
President Boyd K. Packer once taught “The thought that rescued Alma … is this: Restoring what you cannot restore, healing the wound you cannot heal, fixing that which you broke and you cannot fix is the very purpose of the atonement of Christ.”1 I can not restore anyone to their loved ones but Christ can. I can not heal their now broken hearts but I know without a doubt that Christ can. In Alma we learn "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." 2
Our Savior can and will heal and fix the broken hearts around the globe. He will sit with those whose hearts are in pieces and help them put those pieces back together. As I have thought of these two friends whose husbands leave behind children my heart aches for their children. In these moments of sadness my mind keeps coming back to my great grandmother who lost her mother when she was barely 2-years-old. She lived a wonderful and full life and died at the age of 94. I don't know how hard it was to live without her mother but I do know that the Lord left behind four older angel sisters who took turns going to school so someone could be home to tend her. Because of Jesus Christ lives can still be full and joy can again be found even after tagedy occurs.
I watched the Lord do this for my extended family many years ago. One of the few times I ever saw my father cry was when he gave my brother a bike that my cousin had helped assemble only a few days before his death. My Aunt and Uncle and 4 of their 5 children were killed in a car accident when a man in oncoming traffic suffered a heart attack and veered into their lane of traffic. I was too young to fully grasp the depth of how that tragedy struck my family and the community my aunt lived in but over the past 30+ years I have seen how the Lord has healed those broken hearts. Almost every year I visit their graves on memorial day and get the priviledge of sharing their story with people who see us visit.
Just as the Lord has comforted and strengthened families and individuals through the ages I know he will help all those who are dealing with loss and suffering now. I pray that in my small way I can ease the burdens of those whose lives I am priviledged to touch. I pray that they will feel of my love. Most of all I pray that they will feel of the love of our Savior.
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."3
1. Ensuring a Righteous Judgment By Elder James R. Rasband Of the Seventy
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/13rasband?lang=eng
2. Alma 7:11-12
3. Isaiah 53:5
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